Become a Park Ranger

Rangers are essential to Washington State Parks. If you are interested in becoming a Washington State Parks Ranger, read on to learn how to qualify and what the hiring process looks like.

Out-of-state applicants

We hire many park rangers from out of state. If you live out of state, you must travel to Washington state at least once to complete the agency-specific testing process for Ranger 2 and 3 positions.

Minimum eligibility requirements to become a Park Ranger

You can view the minimum eligibility requirements for both entry-level and lateral positions at our Park Ranger 1 information page or Park Ranger 2 information page. Park Rangers 3 and 4 openings will have the specific qualifications listed in the job announcement.

We do not offer waivers for required qualifications.

Disqualifiers for Park Rangers

Certain past behaviors and circumstances may disqualify you as a candidate. For a full list of automatic and potential disqualifiers, go to our minimum qualifications and disqualifiers page.

Potential disqualifiers are considered in context of all other information reviewed during the hiring process. Although you are welcome to contact us to discuss potential disqualifiers, we cannot say with absolute certainty whether certain past behaviors may disqualify you until all relevant information is available to us.

Tattoos

While tattoos are permitted, candidates with any tattoos that are deemed offensive may be disqualified.

Age limits

We have a minimum age requirement of 21 years old for armed Park Rangers 2-3 but have no maximum age limit.

When to apply

You may apply at any time after you meet the minimum requirements of the position.

If you are currently in the military and meet our minimum requirements, you can begin the application process up to six months before your separation date, depending on your availability to be present at scheduled interviews and exams.

Hiring process for Park Ranger candidates

Candidates must apply through www.careers.wa.gov.

Ranger 2 positions are filled via a pooled recruitment, where a pool of candidates is created to fill all open positions. The Ranger 2 pool is opened typically every three to four months. We recommend you set a job alert to be notified when the Ranger 2 pool is opened.

Ranger 1, 3 and 4 positions are typically filled via individual recruitments, where each position is posted individually as they become available. We recommend you set a job alert to be notified when a position is posted.